Sarah Forbes

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Dr Sarah Forbes BSc, PhD

Senior lecturer microbiology, MSc/MRes Molecular Microbiology, MSc/MRes Biomedical Laboratory Science

Summary

I was appointed as a lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University after completing a BSc and PhD in microbiology at The University of Manchester. My research is focused within the fields of antimicrobial chemotherapy and microbial ecology. I have taught both undergraduate and postgraduate students on microbiology and immunology programs and have operated as a course lead on both the MSc/MRes Molecular Microbiology and the MSc/MRes Biomedical Laboratory Science programs. 

Sarah Forbes

About

I am a lecturer in biomedical sciences at Sheffield Hallam University working within the fields of antimicrobial chemotherapy and microbial ecology. I am particularly interested in the mechanisms of biocide resistance in bacteria, in developing anti-infective biomedical device coatings to prevent biofilm-associated infections and in understanding the responses of biofilm communities to antimicrobial treatment. 

I successfully completed a PhD in microbiology at The University of Manchester which was based on evaluating novel antimicrobial peptides as potential anti-infective coatings for biomedical devices. Following this I completed a position as a research associate working in partnership with Unilever and Colgate Palmolive on programs evaluating bacterial responses to biocide treatment. 

I am passionate about scientific outreach and have previously worked alongside the RCUK School-University Partnerships Initiative, Aim Higher Microbiology and Guerilla Science, who aim to engage and educate the public on topical scientific issues.

Teaching

 

 

Courses: 

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Student Projects

Research

• Lacey, MM, Capper-Parkin, K, Schwartz-Narbonne, R, Hargreaves, K, Higham, C, Duckett, Forbes, S, Rawlinson, K. (2023). Access Microbiology, 5(8). doi:10.1099/acmi.0.000534.v3
• Capper-Parkin KL, Nichol T, Smith TJ, Lacey MM and Forbes S. Journal of Hospital Infection (2023). Journal of Hospital Infection.134:138-146. doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2023.02.004
• Duckett CJ, Hargreaves KE, Rawson KM, Allen KE, Forbes S, Rawlinson KE, Shaw H, Lacey M. (2021). Access Microbiology.3:5.
• Henly EL, Norris K, Rawson K, Zoulias N, Jaques L, Chirila PG, Parkin KL, Kadirvel M, Whiteoak C, Lacey MM, Smith TJ and Forbes S (2021). Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.76:909-19.
• Wootton TL, Porter JA, Grewal KS, Chirila PG, Forbes S, Coles SJ, Horton PN, Hamilton A, Whiteoak CJ (2020) Organic Chemistry Frontiers.1235-42.
• Henly EL, Dowling JA, Maingay JB, Lacey MM, Smith TJ, Forbes S (2019). Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 26;63 -18.
• Ledder RG, Latimer J, Forbes S, Penney JL, Sreenivasan PK, McBain AJ (2019). Frontiers in Public Health. 8;7:91.
• Forbes, S, Cowley N, Humphreys H, Amézquita A, Mistry H, and McBain AJ (2018). Applied and Environmental Microbiology
• Bazaid, A S., Forbes, S., Humphreys, GJ., Ledder, RG., O’Cualain, R., & McBain, AJ. (2018). Scientific reports, 8(1), 3876.
• Forbes,  S.,  Cowley,  N.,  Humphreys,  G.,  Mistry,  H.,  Amézquita,  A.,  &  McBain,  AJ. (2017). Applied and Environmental microbiology, 83:e03054-16.
• Forbes  S,  Knight  CG,  Colwey  C,  Amézquita  A,  McClure  P  and  McBain  AJ  (2016). Applied and Environmental Microbiology 00701-16.
• Forbes S, Latimer J and McBain AJ (2016). PloS one 11:e0149390.
• Latimer  J,  Munday  J,  Buzza  K,  Forbes  S  and  McBain  AJ  (2015)  BMC  microbiology. 15:169.
• Forbes  S,   Cowley  N,  Humphreys  G,  Amézquita  A,  McClure  P,  McBain  AJ  (2015) Applied and Environmental Microbiology 81:4809-4816.
• Forbes S, Latimer J and McBain AJ (2015). Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 59:4809-16.
• Forbes   S,   Humphreys   GJ   and   McBain   AJ   (2014).   Antimicrobial   Agents   and Chemotherapy. 58:5809-5817.
• Krašovec  R,  Belavkin  RV,  Aston  JAD,  Channon  A,  Aston  E,  Rash  BM,  Kadirvel  M, Forbes S and Knight C.G (2014). Microbial Cell. 1:250-252.
• Krašovec  R,  Belavkin  RV,  Aston  JAD,  Channon  A,  Aston  E,  Rash  BM,  Kadirvel  M, Forbes S and Knight CG (2014). Nature Communications. 5:3742.
• Kadirvel  M,  Fanimarvasti  F,  Forbes  S,  McBain  A,  Gardiner  JM,  Brown  GD  and Freeman S (2014). Chemical Communications. 50: 5000-5002.
• Forbes S, McBain AJ, Felton-Smith S, Jowitt TA, Birchenough HL, Dobson CB (2013). Biomaterials. 22:5453-5464.

 

Collaborators/sponsors:

Colgate Palmolive, Reckitt, Unilever

Publications

Journal articles

De Las Heras Prieto, H., Cole, L., Forbes, S., Palmer, M., & Schwartz-Narbonne, R. (2024). Separation of mycolic acid isomers by cyclic ion mobility‐mass spectrometry. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 38 (23). http://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.9917

Lacey, M.M., Capper-Parkin, K., Schwartz-Narbonne, R., Hargreaves, K., Higham, C., Duckett, C., ... Rawlinson, K. (2023). University student-led public engagement event: increasing audience diversity and impact in a non-science space. Access Microbiology, 5 (8). http://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.000534.v3

Capper-Parkin, K.L., Nichol, T., Smith, T.J., Lacey, M.M., & Forbes, S. (2023). Antimicrobial and cytotoxic synergism of biocides and quorum-sensing inhibitors against uropathogenic Escherichia coli. The Journal of hospital infection, 134, 138-146. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2023.02.004

Duckett, C.J., Hargreaves, K.E., Rawson, K.M., Allen, K.E., Forbes, S., Rawlinson, K.E., ... Lacey, M. (2021). Nights at the museum: integrated arts and microbiology public engagement events enhance understanding of science whilst increasing community diversity and inclusion. Access Microbiology, 3 (5). http://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.000231

Henly, E.L., Norris, K., Rawson, K., Zoulias, N., Jaques, L., Chirila, P.G., ... Forbes, S. (2021). Impact of long-term quorum sensing inhibition on uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. http://doi.org/10.1093/jac/dkaa517

Hamilton, A., Wotton, T., Porter, J., Grewal, K., Chirila, P., Forbes, S., ... Whiteoak, C. (2020). Merging Cu-catalysed C-H functionalisation and intramolecular annulations: computational and experimental studies on an expedient construction of complex fused heterocycles. Organic Chemistry Frontiers. http://doi.org/10.1039/D0QO00283F

Ledder, R.G., Latimer, J., Forbes, S., Penney, J.L., Sreenivasan, P.K., & McBain, A.J. (2019). Visualization and quantification of the oral hygiene effects of brushing, dentifrice use and brush wear using a tooth brushing simulator. Frontiers in Public Health, 7 (APR). http://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00091

Henly, E., Dowling, J., Maingay, J.B., Lacey, M., Smith, T., & Forbes, S. (2019). Biocide exposure induces changes in susceptibility, pathogenicity and biofilm formation in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Antimicrobial agents and chemothery. http://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.01892-18

Forbes, S., Morgan, N., Humphreys, G.J., Amézquita, A., Mistry, H., & McBain, A.J. (2018). Loss of Function in Escherichia coli exposed to Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Benzalkonium Chloride. Applied and environmental microbiology. http://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02417-18

Bazaid, A.S., Forbes, S., Humphreys, G.J., Ledder, R.G., O'Cualain, R., & McBain, A.J. (2018). Fatty acid supplementation reverses the small colony variant phenotype in triclosan-adapted staphylococcus aureus: Genetic, proteomic and phenotypic analyses. Scientific Reports, 8 (1), 3876. http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-21925-6

Forbes, S., Cowley, N., Humphreys, G., Mistry, H., Amézquita, A., & McBain, A.J. (2017). Formulation of Biocides Increases Antimicrobial Potency and Mitigates the Enrichment of Non-Susceptible Bacteria in Multi-Species Biofilms. Applied and environmental microbiology, 83 (7). http://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.03054-16

Forbes, S., Knight, C.G., Cowley, N.L., Amézquita, A., McClure, P., Humphreys, G., ... Drake, H.L. (2016). Variable effects of exposure to formulated microbicides on antibiotic susceptibility in firmicutes and proteobacteria. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 82 (12), 3591-3598. http://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00701-16

Forbes, S., Latimer, J., Sreenivasan, P.K., & McBain, A.J. (2016). Simultaneous assessment of acidogenesis-mitigation and specific bacterial growth-inhibition by dentifrices. PLOS ONE, 11 (2), e0149390. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0149390

Cowley, N.L., Forbes, S., Amézquita, A., McClure, P., Humphreys, G.J., McBain, A.J., & Drake, H.L. (2015). Effects of formulation on microbicide potency and mitigation of the development of bacterial insusceptibility. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 81 (20), 7330-7338. http://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01985-15

Latimer, J., Munday, J.L., Buzza, K.M., Forbes, S., Sreenivasan, P.K., & McBain, A.J. (2015). Antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity of mouthrinses containing cetylpyridinium chloride and sodium fluoride. BMC Microbiology, 15, 169. http://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-015-0501-x

Forbes, S., Latimer, J., Bazaid, A., & McBain, A.J. (2015). Altered competitive fitness, antimicrobial susceptibility, and cellular morphology in a triclosan-induced small-colony variant of staphylococcus aureus. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 59 (8), 4809-4816. http://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.00352-15

Forbes, S., Dobson, C.B., Humphreys, G.J., & McBain, A.J. (2014). Transient and sustained bacterial adaptation following repeated sublethal exposure to microbicides and a novel human antimicrobial peptide. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 58 (10), 5809-5817. http://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.03364-14

Kadirvel, M., Fanimarvasti, F., Forbes, S., McBain, A., Gardiner, J.M., Brown, G.D., & Freeman, S. (2014). Inhibition of quorum sensing and biofilm formation in Vibrio harveyi by 4-fluoro-DPD; a novel potent inhibitor of signalling. Chemical communications (Cambridge, England), 50 (39), 5000-5002. http://doi.org/10.1039/c3cc49678c

Krašovec, R., Belavkin, R.V., Aston, J.A.D., Channon, A., Aston, E., Rash, B.M., ... Knight, C.G. (2014). Mutation rate plasticity in rifampicin resistance depends on Escherichia coli cell–cell interactions. Nature Communications, 5, 3742. http://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4742

Forbes, S., McBain, A.J., Felton-Smith, S., Jowitt, T.A., Birchenough, H.L., & Dobson, C.B. (2013). Comparative surface antimicrobial properties of synthetic biocides and novel human apolipoprotein E derived antimicrobial peptides. Biomaterials, 34 (22), 5453-5464. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2013.03.087

Latimer, J., Forbes, S., & McBain, A.J. (2012). Attenuated Virulence and Biofilm Formation in Staphylococcus aureus following Sublethal Exposure to Triclosan. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, 56 (6), 3092-3100. http://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.05904-11

McBain, A.J., Forbes, S., & Latimer, J. (2012). Reply to “Lack of Evidence for Reduced Fitness of Clinical Staphylococcus aureus Isolates with Reduced Susceptibility to Triclosan”. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 56 (11), 6072. http://doi.org/10.1128/aac.01515-12

Krasovec, R., Belavkin, R., Aston, J., Channon, A., Aston, E., Rash, B., ... Knight, C. (n.d.). Where antibiotic resistance mutations meet quorum-sensing. Microbial Cell, 1 (7), 250-252. http://doi.org/10.15698/mic2014.07.158

Theses / Dissertations

Capper-Parkin, K.L. (2024). Development of Antimicrobial Impregnated Catheter Coatings to Prevent Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Infections. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Forbes, S., Nichol, T., Lacey, M., & Smith, T. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00589

Billacura, M.D.G. (2023). Group-13 catalysed protocols for utilisationof CO2 as a sustainable C1 source. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Bricklebank, N., Whiteoak, C., & Forbes, S. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00525

Henly, E.L. (2019). Antimicrobial Adaptation in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Forbes, S. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00276

Postgraduate supervision

Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and Microbial Ecology

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